Sheet straightening machine



Oct. 22, 1940. F. K. MAussNx-:ST

SHEET STRAIGHTENING MACHINE Filed April 30. 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l za A I5 "1W/'1'.

OGL 22, 1940- F. K. MAussNEs-r SHEET STRAIGHTENING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 30. 1937 15a 15 Las 5' SEI- #il .-I 1

INVENTOR Patented Oct. 22, 1940 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE Application April 30, 1937, Serial No. 139,881

Z Claims. (Cl. 153-54) This invention relates in general to roller levelers having comparatively small diameter straightening rolls and supporting or backing rolls placed along the straightening rolls, and

more particularly to roller levelers of this type wherein the straightening roll ends and certain of the backing rolls are adjustable relatively to each other. Reference is made to my U. S. Patent No. 2,009,508, issued July 31, 1935. Various applications and constructions embodying this principle of control of the straightening roll contours are disclosed therein.

A denite control of the straightening roll contours which may be also referred to as the working contours or deflection contours of the straightening rolls, is essential for making corrections on sheet, strip or plate material,` because when the work material leaves the rolling mills, it shows certain distortions which are usually called the mill shape of the material.

The great majority of the sheets has two distlnctly different mill shapes, namely, the middle portion of the sheet may be shorter than the edges, or vice versa. These so-called regular mill shapes may be effectively corrected by apparatus such as disclosed in the aforementioned patent. s

However, certain sheets possess other defects in their mill shape. These so-called irregular mill shapes usually consist in longer or shorter areas between the middle portion of the sheet and each edge area.

It will be noted that regular mill shapes may be corrected by exing the straightening rolls either into convex or concave contours, depending on whether the middle portion of the sheet needs stretching or the edge areas.

For attening and leveling sheets of irregular mill shape it is necessary to direct the stretching pressure on the short areas, which, as pointed out, are usually located between the middle and the edges of a sheet. These areas will also be referred to as intermediate areas of the sheet and may either consist of two short areas located a substantially symmetrical to the middle, or of one short area which may be located in between the middle portion of the sheet and one of its edges.

It is obviously desirable that sheet straightening, equipment is adapted to flatten work material of regular and irregular mill shapes eiliciently. I

The primary object of this invention is to provide means whereby either one or both intermediate areas of a sheet may be effectively stretched.

Another object is to provide means for stretching intermediate areas of sheets or similar work material in combination with mechanisms for deecting the straightening rolls into convex or concave contours for stretching sheets of regular mill shapes. f

A further object is to provide a roller leveler which may be quickly and positively adjusted for the flattening oi sheets of regular and irregular mill shape by providing novel indicating devices in connection with the machine.

These and other objects, to be pointed out in the specication and especially in the claims, I attain by means of my invention disclosed in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of-a roller leveler in section along line l--l Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 illustrates a partial sectional top view of the deilecting mechanism along line 2-2 Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the machine shown in Fig. 1. s

Fig.V 4 depicts an enlarged sectional view of indicating dial along line 4-4 Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows in diagrammatic form one of the possible multi-curved working roll contours obtainable by means oi the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

F18. 6 is a sectional iront view of a modied form of the lower part of the leveler shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 shows a partial sectional top view of the deecting mechanism along line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 depicts a partial side view of the machine shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9illustrates diagrammatically a. multicurved deilectlon of the straightening rolls by means of the construction shown in Figs. 6 to 8.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, the leveler embodying the principles of the present invention by way of example may comprise a lower base member I carrying lower straightening rolls 3 and associated mechanisms and an upper detachable section 2 with upper straightening rolls 4 and their associated mechanisms. The upper straightening rolls 4 are generally arranged in staggered order with respect to their cooperating lower straightening rolls 3 for the purpose of subjecting the work material to gradually decreasing corrugations between these banks of straightening rolls.

The rigid frame 5 of upper section 2 supports at its outer ends the upper row of straightening rolls 4. Supporting rolls 6, rotably mounted on frame 5 and located in staggered order to upper rolls 4, prevent these straightening rolls from deflecting under load. Another conventional arrangement would be the location of the supporting rolls on top of each straightening roll instead of the staggered relation shown. Both methods of mounting are well known in the art and do not form part of this invention.

Frame 5 may be raised, lowered or tilted with respect to the horizontal plane of the lower straightening rolls 3 by means of two handwheels 1 on rotable shafts 3. Two worms 3,- I3 engaging respective worm-wheels II, I2 are mounted on each shaft 3. Worms I3 are fast to shafts 3, while worms 3 are mounted loosely on these shafts. Through the threaded hub of each worm-wheel Il, I2 extends a correspondingly threaded, vertically placed tie-rod I3. Each of these tie-rods I3 is hinged to one of the four corners of the lower base member I. The upper frame 3 is counterbalanced by means of helical springs I4 on tie-rods I3 to facilitate the adjustment.

Each worm 3 on shafts 3 may comprise one half of a jaw clutch. The other halves I3 of the clutches are slidably keyed to shafts 3. Hence, with clutches I3 in engagement, the upper frame 3, together with straightening rolls 4 and their associated supporting or backing rolls 3, may be raised with respect to lower straightening rolls 3 by rotating handwheels 1. Itwill be noted that with clutches I3 engaged, both ends of the straightening rolls will 'be raised or lowered equal amounts.

When clutches I3 are disengaged/it is possible to rotate worms I3, while worms 3 remain inoperative. This arrangementgives the possibility to tilt the upper straightening rolls 4 longitudinally with respect to lower straightening rolls 3 as shown for example in Fig. 5. 'Ihe openings between the upper and lower straightening rolls will differ and are seen to become gradually smaller from the left to the right, Fig. 5.

Conversely, the upper straightening rolls 4 may be tilted longitudinally in the opposite direction by first lowering the rolls 4 at both their ends while clutches I3 are in engagement, and by reversing the direction of rotation of handwheels 1 after disengaging clutches I3. 'Ihe purpose of these adjustments will appear later.

The bearing ends I3 of the lower straightening rolls 3 are freely rotable in bearing bodies I1 which are sustained by bearing supports or pillow-blocks I3. Curvilinear contact surfaces may be provided on bearing blocks I1 and pillowblocks I3 to permit bearing bodies I1 to change their location whenever rolls 3 are deflected. If desired, the bearing blocks I1 may be unyieldingly connected with pillow-blocks I3 or both elements I1 and I3 may be made in one piece.

Pillow-blocks I3 are guided on uprights I3 by gibs 34. Each of the two pillow-blocks I3 is adiustable in height by two vertically placed screw spindles 23, 23'. The pitch of thread of corresponding pairs of screws 23, or23' is identical for the reason that each pillow-block I3 is intended to be moved uniformly upwards or downwards. A worm-wheel 2i, 2i', respectively, is secured to the shank of each of the screws 23, 23'. Shafts 22, 22', held in suitable bearings `23, are located at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the straightening rolls. Each of these shafts 22, 22'

carries twoworms 24, 24', respectively, and these worms are in mesh with corresponding wormwheels 2 I, 2 I

Supporting or backing rolls ,23, 23, 21 are located underneath and in staggered relation to lower straightening rolls 3. As a matter of example, Figs. l to 5 depict three supporting rolls for each straightening roll. Because-the supporting rolls are subdivided into three sections,

such an arrangement may also be referred to as three section support or three supporting sections. Supporting rolls 23, 23, 21 are mounted at their ends in bearing elements 23. The two outer bear- -held in bearings 33, 43 which may either be such as shown in Fig. 5, for stretching those areas ing bodies 23 rest on solid brackets 23 which may be directly secured to base 33, while the centrally located bearing body is carried by a vertically displaceablepillow-block 3I supported by two adjusting screws 32, 33 rotably mounted in base 33 5 in any suitable manner. Worm-wheels 34, 33 are secured to the shanks of these screws 32, 33 and engage respective worms 33, 31, keyed or otherwise fastened to shaft 33. This shaft is rotably secured to the top surface of base 3|I or be integral with one of the brackets 23 as shownv in of a sheet which are located in between the middle and the edge areas. The general method of deilecting the straightening rolls employed in the present invention consists in adjusting the ends of the straightening rolls and one or more supporting sections relatively to each other. Referring to the three section supporting arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 5, it will be noted that convex or concave deflection contours are obtainable by adjusting the straightening roll ends n I3 in opposite directions to the centrally located supporting section 23. A double curved deflection contour for stretching intermediate areas may be obtained by adjusting the ends of the straightening rolls 3 and supporting section 23 in 3|- identical directions. A

To accomplish this, a control shaft 4I is arranged which extends from the left hand sideor operating side of the machine to the right hand side. 'I'his shaft may be rotated by means of handwheel 42. I'he rotation of shaft 4I is transmitted to each shaft 22, 22' by respective pairs of meshing miter gears 43, 43', mounted on shaft 4I and shafts 22, 22', respectively. l

Inasmuch as the operating direction of supporting section 23 must be reversible, two miter gears, 44, 43 are provided on shaft 4I for its adjustment. Both miter gears 44, 43 are in mesh with miter 43 which issuitably fastened to shaft 33. Miter gears 44, 43 are not keyed to shaft 4I and turn freely on the same as well as in bearins 41 which are shown as part of the bearing brackets for shaft 33. 'I'he inner surfaces'of these miter gears 44, 43 are provided with Jaws 43. Either miter may be engaged by a clutch element 43 which isslidably keyed to shaft 4I. Slidable clutch 43 is operatively associated with a lever 33 which in turn is connected with a rod 3| to a control lever 32 located at the operating side of the straightening machine.

A conventional type snap, device or catch 33 is located along rod 3| and serves the purpose to definitely locate the position of the lever 32 for f engaging either one of miter gears 44, 43 or for maintaining clutch 43 in neutral position as shown in Fig. 2. When handwheel 42 is turned in clockwise direction, shaft 33 will be rotated in clockwise direction when clutch 43 is in engagement with miter 44; shaft 33 will be rotated in counterclockwise direction when miter 43 is en- 88806.

Miters 43, 43' for the adjustment of the straightening roll ends I3 vwill always cause shafts 22, 22' to revolve in the same direction as handwheel 42 is turned. Hence, when I3 annales handwheel 42 is rotated in clockwise direction, right hand worms 24 will rotate left hand screws 20 also in clockwise direction; shaft 22 with right hand worms 24 mounted thereon will turn their associated worm-wheels 2| and right hand screws 20' in counterclockwise direction. Consequently, both pillow-blocks I8 will be lowered. Provided that clutch 43 engages miter 44, shaft 38 will turn at the same time in clockwise direction and its right hand worms 36, 31 will revolve their respective worm-wheels 34, 35 and right hand screws 32, 33 in clockwise direction. This will result in raising the middle supporting section 26, and a regular convex working contour of the straightening rolls 3 will be obtained; conversely, when handwheel 42 is rotated counterclockwise with clutch 49 engaging miter 44, the straightening roll ends I6`will be raised, supporting section 26 will be lowered and whenaI work sheet passes through the straightening rolls, the lower rolls 3 will assume a concave deflection contour.

When clutch 43 engages miter 45, supporting section 26 will be displaced in the same direction as the straightening roll ends I6. By turning handwheel 42 clockwise, a lowering of both the straightening roll ends I6 and of the supporting section 26 will be accomplished. When the work sheet passes through the straightening rolls, the resulting working pressure will deflect the middle of the straightening rolls 3 down on the lowered supporting. section 26. The stationary, non-adjustable supporting sections 25, 21 will resist any deflection of the straightening rolls 3 so that the latter are forced to assume the multi-curved contour shown in Fig. 5, thereby stretching the intermediate areas of the work sheet in preference to its middle and edge areas.

Fig. illustrates an additional feature. The upper straightening rolls 4 are shown tilted 1ongitudinally by means of the two handwheels 1 and clutch mechanism I5 previously described. The opening between the upper and lower straightening rolls 4 and 3, is shown todecrease gradually from the operating side toward the Aright hand side of the machine. That intermediate area of the work sheet which passses in the vertical plane of the right hand stationary supporting section 21 will therefore be stretched in preference to any other area of the work sheet. It it is desired to stretch an intermediate area which would pass over the left hand supporting section 25, the sheet may be turned end for end and the adjustment employed as shown in Fig. 5, or the upper straightening rolls 4 may be tilted in the other direction so that the roll openings gradually increase vfrom the operating side toward the right hand side of the machine.

When handwheel 42 is turned counterclockwise with miter 45 engaged, straightening rollends I6 and supporting section 26 will be raised relative to stationary supporting sections 25, 21. Thus, the middle area and both edge areas of the work sheet may be stretched concurrently. This type of working contour is also desirable for certain irregular mill shapes. It will be noted that supporting section 26 may be disengaged at any time and for any adjusting interval by placing control lever 52 in neutral position. Therefore, even more intricate multi-curved working contours may be conveniently created whenever required.

The roller leveler shown is provided with an indicating mechanism to assist the operator in the precise adjustment of convex, concave or multi-curved working contours and to indicate the differences in amplitude of such settings.

The indicating device comprises an indicating dial 55 provided with two pointers 56, 51, Fig. 4. The small pointer 56 is connected to one of the ends of shaft 53, rotated by' means of a left hand spiral gear 53 which is fastened to the other end of thisshaft, Fig. 1. Gear 59 engages a matching gear 60 which is mounted on shaft 38. Any rotation of shaft 38 is thereby positively indicated on dial 55 by means of the small pointer 56, and any displacement of section 25 will thus be recorded. y

The large pointer 51 is secured to sleeve 6| which surrounds the small pointer shaft 58. Sleeve Slis freely rotatable in the stationary dial 55. A sprocket wheel 62 is mounted on sleeve 6| and another suitable sprocket wheel 54 provided on shaft 4| with a chain 63 connecting both sprocket wheels. Hence, the largepolnter 51 will record any displacement of the ends I6 of straightening rolls 3.

The gearing for rotating the two pointers. is preferably, however not necessarily, selected so that the angular movement of both pointers is of the same amplitude andV in the same direction for regular convex or concave straightening roll deflection contours. One pointer may then be on top of the other one and in zero position when the straightening rolls are not deflected as shown in Fig. 3. The pointers will then travel together for any regular convex or concave deflection contours and move in opposlte'directions when multi-curved deection contours are adjusted.

The operator therefore will always know precisely the relative positions of the straightening roll ends I6 and of the centrally located adjustable supporting section 26. By providing a suitable scale on the dial, as indicated in Fig. 3, the amplitude will also be clearly shown. Consequently, the leveler may be quickly reset from an irregular deflection contour adjustment to a regular one, or to an absolute straight, horizontal position of the straightening rolls. This possition will be called the zero position of the straightening rolls as shown for example in Fig. 1.

The mechanism shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8 illustrates the application of this deflection principle to roller levelers with a greater number of supporting sections. Therefore, like numerals with a 1 or 10 attached in front of the respective tens or unit numbers have been employed for such parts which are identical or similar to corresponding parts in Figs. 1 to 4. 'Ihe reading of the drawings is thereby facilitated and the description of the mechanism may be shortened.

The need for multiple `supporting sectionsr arises when wider sheets have to be flattened, or when the load carrying capacity of the supporting roll bearings has to be increased. In such cases it becomes necessary to provide a greater number of vertically displaceable supporting sections |26, |26', |80, |8I.

The two sections |26, |26 are shown to be located symmetrically to the middle of the straightening rolls |03. Therefore, their vertical displacements may be arranged alike. Each pillow-block |3I, |3I is adjustable by two screws |32, |32' and |33, |33', respectively. Their respective worm-wheels |34, |34', |88, |83' may be interconnected in pairs as shown. I All four worm-Wheels may thus be rotated by two worms |36, |31 on shaft |38. Amiter gearf|46 and are raised or lowered in a similarmanner as previously described, by means of screws |23. |23', associated with worm-wheels |2|, |2|' and worms |24, |24.

Two control shafts |4|, |22 are provided and connected by chain drive iN. Worms |24, |24' forrotating worm-wheels |2|, |2|' are mounted directly on these shafts. To deect straightening rolls |33 into regular convex or concave contours, the ends ||3 of the straightening rolls and the supporting sections |33,4 |3| have to be displaced'in respective`opposite directions to the displacement of the supporting sections |23, |23'. Supporting sections |33, |31 have to be displaced smaller distances than the straightening roll ends ||3. Worm-wheels |33, |33' of sections |33, |3| are shown to be in mesh with worm-wheels |2|, |2|' and consequently the ratio of gearing between worm-wheels |2|, |2|'and |33, |33' has to be suitably selected; or, a finer pitch may be chosen for screws |32, |33 than -for screws |23, '|23'.` When handwheel |42 on shaft |4| is rotated, the supporting sections |33. |3| will always `move in definite relation andv in the same direction as pillow-blocks ||3 carrying the ends Il! of straightening rolls |33.

Shafts |4| and |22 carry respective miter gears |44, |43 which are provided with jaws |43. Miters |44, |43 are freely rotatable on shafts |4|, |22, respectively. To alternately engage either one of miters |44 or |45, clutch elements |49 are slidably keyed to shafts |4| and' |22. Hand lever |32 together with snap device |53 and arm |13, Figs. 7, 8, will enable the operator to disengage clutches |43 from both miter gears |44 and |43, or to engage clutch |43 with either one of miter gears |44 or |43.

When a regular convex or concavedeilection contour of the straightening rollsv |33 is desired, control lever |52 is placed -in the right hand. notch oi snap device |33, Fig. 8. thus operatively connecting miter |44 with shaft |4|.l When handwheel |42 is then rotated in clockwise direction, right hand worms |24, |24 on shaft |4| will rotate their associated worm-wheels |2| and left hand'spindles |23 in clockwise direction. Wormwheels I2 meshing with worm-wheels- 35 of supporting sections |83, IUI, will revolve right hand screws |32 in counterclockwise direction. Miters |44, y|46 cause shaft |33 to turn in clockwise direction and the right hand worms |33, |31 move their meshing worm-wheels |34, |34' and left hand spindles |32', |32 in counterclockwise directions. Worm-wheels |33, |33' mesh with wormwheels |34, |34', respectively. and are consequently rotated in clockwise` direction together with their righthand screws |33, |33'.

When handwheel |42 is rotated clockwise, shaft |22 will also revolve clockwise. Right hand worms |24, |24' on shaft |22'wi1l therefore move their associated worm-wheels I2 and right hand screws |23' in counterclockwise direction. Meshing worm-wheels |33' and their left hand screws |33 will thus be rotated in clockwise directions.

The result of this adjustment will be that the supporting roll banks |23, |23' will be raised, outside supporting sections |33, |3| as well as the ends ||3 of the straightening rolls |33 will be lowered and as a consequence, the straightening rolls |33 will be positively deflected into a regular convex working contour.

When handwheel |42 is turned in clockwise direction and clutch |43 is in engagement with anales y miter ul, which enum shifting of connai lem |32 into the left hand notch of snap device |33, all movements will be the same as described before,.with the exception that the direction of displacement of the centrally located supporting sections |23, |23' will be reversed. Thus themulti-curved deflection contour shown in Fig. 9 will be obtained when a work sheet passes through the straightening rolls. In Fig. 9, the upper rolls |34 are shown to be inhorizontal position. The work sheet will therefore be stretched along both intermediate areas.

conversely. by rotating handwheel m in counterclockwise direction, the middle area and both edge areas ofthe work sheet will be stretched at the same time. Analogically to the construction shown and described in connection with `Figs. l to 5, other multi-curved straightening roll contours may-be obtained by engaging supporting sections |23, |23' only part of the adjusting cycle.

The indicating mechanism with its dial Ill and its two pointers |33, |I1 is similar to that previously described. 'I'he two pointers are again v operated from two separate shafts |53, |22. A

gear reduction |13 and helical gears |33, |33, Fig. 6, are interposed for actuating the small pointer |33, while the large pointer |31 is driven directly from shaft 22 by chain drive |31, Fig. 8. A more detailed description of this indicating mechanism is believed unnecessary due toits similarity with that described in connection with Figs. 1 to 4.

Variousmodiiications of the mechanism shown will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Thus the principle may be adapted to the conventional method of straightening roll deflection; the stationary supporting sections may be located at different points along the straightening rolls; or different types of indicating devices or different reversing means may be employed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A deflecting mechanism for the straightening rolls of roller levelers comprising in combination with said straightening rolls, adjustable and non-adjustable supporting means for supporting said straightening rolls. adjustable elements for raising or lowering the ends of said straightening rolls, adjustable means for eifecting the displacement of said adjustable supporting meansv with respect to said non-adjustable supporting means; means to connect operatively and selectively said adjustable supporting means and said adjustable elements in such a manner that said adjustable supporting means are displaceable in opposite direction to or in identical direction as said adjustable elements.

2. In mechanisms of the character described, straightening rolls, adjustable and non-adjustable supporting means for said straightening rolls, means for displacing the ends oi' said straightening rolls and their aSociated-adjustable supporting means relatively to each other for a deflection of said straightening rolls into regular convex or concave working contours, clutch mechanisms for reversing the direction of displacement of certain oi' said adjustable supporting means for the formation of irregular working contours of said straightening rolls, and one centralized indicating device concurrently denoting the precise respective locations of said displaceable straightening roll ends and of their associated adjustable supporting means.

FRIEDRICH K. MAUBBNEBT. 

